Kentucky coach John Calipari wasn’t shy about his opinion on potential NCAA Tournament expansion when asked Wednesday about the possibility of the Big Dance growing to include more than the current 68 teams.
“I hope it stays where it is,” he said. “I know people get mad. They get mad at the committee. You won’t believe this. I’ve been mad at that committee a few times. But you may be mad because of your seed or where they’ve shipped you to. … But it doesn’t matter who the committee is. We’re all going to be upset.”
The Athletic reported in early March that college basketball insiders are prepping for an expanded field in the very near future, though the bracket wouldn’t grow too much larger. A 72- or 76-team field seems the most likely outcome.
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Calipari also didn’t advocate for any changes to the selection committee, amid calls from St. John’s coach Rick Pitino and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo to include more coaching voices in the process.
“The committee, literally don’t care,” Calipari said. “Whoever is on it is going to get the same grief, that this group got, the last group got. It’s what it is. No science to this. You’re going to make some mistakes.”
Calipari’s Wildcats, a No. 3 seed, will begin their March Madness journey Thursday at 7:10 p.m. ET with a game against the No. 14 seeded Oakland Golden Grizzlies in Pittsburgh.
The Athletic has live coverage of the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Oakland coach Greg Kampe shared Calipari’s anti-expansion sentiment.
“It’s hard to get here, but when you do, look at the opportunities that you have. This is the holy grail for mid-majors, right?” Kampe said. “It is. And I’ve said this many times over the last week. The NCAA basketball tournament, and please don’t change it, please don’t change it, but it is one of the three greatest sporting events in the world.”
Kampe, who is the longest-tenured coach in Division I, now in his 40th season at Oakland, did say he’d support expansion under one condition:
“The only reason I would be for expansion to the 96 or whatever they’re talking is to keep us in it. If that’s the only way we’re going to stay in it, then I’m for it.”
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(Photo: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images)
